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A Moraga resident, Tom was married to Bobbie Preston for 26 great years, her partner in crime in many Moraga community activities: the Cycle Recycle, the Rancho Laguna Monarch Garden, pear pruning at JM, Moraga Library Seed Library, Moraga Garden Farms, and the Pear, July Fourth and Community Fairs. Tom and Bobbie traveled extensively collecting friends, beer steins and memories along the way. While the joints still allowed, they enjoyed kayaking, rollerblading and biking, settling ultimately on bocce and park strolls at Rancho Laguna.
Born in Richmond California, where dad Lloyd was building Liberty ships . after the war Lloyd moved the family back to Morenci, Arizona (pop 3,311) because "California wasn't going anywhere." Tom graduated from Northern Arizona University and from Thunderbird Graduate School of International Business. He joined J&J and quickly became Director of International Marketing and Acquisitions which took him and new wife Terri to San Jose, Kansas, Seattle, Puerto Rico, New Jersey, Mexico, and Minneapolis, Lake Forest Ill, and Westchester, Pennsylvania. Along the way daughters Cari and Portia and son Ty joined them. Subsequently he joined American Critical Care in Lake Forest, Illinois, then Dupont in Pennsylvania as Director of International Marketing. Recruited by Ribogene, Tom and Terri moved to Hayward. Terri died in September 1994.
Predeceased by son Ty, Tom is survived by his adoring wife and soulmate Bobbie, daughters Cari Miller and Portia Preston and stepdaughter Liesl Peterson.
Bobbie is endeavoring to partner with the Town to provide a donation of outdoor fitness equipment for Rancho Laguna Park in Tom's name; if you wish to be included in this tribute, you may mail a tax-deductible donation annotated "Preston Memorial", to Lamorinda Lions Foundation, 17 El Camino Flores, Moraga CA 94556. A Celebration of Tom's life will be held at the Canyon Club 1558 Canyon Road, Moraga, August 27, 2:30-5 p.m. Please RSVP: barbarampreston@comcast.net
Reach the reporter at:
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA